RateMyProfessors.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome To the RMP FAQ. Click on a Question and view the Answer on the right.

General Questions

What is the purpose of this site?: Answer:
RateMyProfessors.com is built for college students, by college students. Choosing the best courses and professors is a rite of passage for every student, and connecting with peers on RateMyProfessors.com has become a key way for millions of students to navigate this process. The site does what students have been doing forever - checking in with each other their friends, their brothers, their sisters to figure out who's a great professor and who's one you might want to avoid. Today, RateMyProfessors.com's database includes over 1 million professors, 6,000 schools, and over 3,000 student comments added daily.
How much does this website cost me?: Answer:
Absolutely nothing but your time.
Do I have to give you my name or email address? I don't want any trouble from my teachers or the administration.: Answer:
We never require you to submit any information. However, you do have the option to create an account to receive the latest updates and post messages.
Do you ever share my personal information to third parties?: Answer:
We will make your personal information and sensitive personal information available to third parties in the following circumstances, including but not limited to, in the event (1) we are compelled to do so by a governmental agency, court or other entity (e.g., to respond to subpoenas, court orders or legal process) or (2) your posting is determined by us to threaten or cause potential physical violence to a third party. For a detailed list of circumstances where we would make available your personal information and sensitive personal information please refer our Privacy Policy.
I've seen 'Want to login or Create an account?' on my school's page. What's that all about?: Answer:
You aren't required to have an account to use RateMyProfessors.com. But, creating an account gives you the opportunity to take full advantage of the site by tracking and editing your ratings. As a member, if you ever feel a rating or comment was mistakenly made, email us and we'll look into it. And hey- being a member is also a great way to get hooked up with the latest contests, newest programs and hottest music from mtvU.
What do professors think of this site?: Answer:
Well, that depends on the professor! We've received a ton of positive feedback from instructors, telling us how much they like the site and how helpful it can be as a tool for students. We also get some less positive responses from time to time but you're always going to get both sides.
Don't students use this site just to get even with their teachers? Aren't most of the ratings negative?: Answer:
Absolutely not. You might be surprised to learn over 65% of the ratings are positive.
I'm a professor and the ratings don't accurately reflect student opinion of my teaching.: Answer:
Definitely check out the popular series "Professors Strike Back" it gives you the opportunity to upload video submissions and directly address how your teaching ability has been characterized by students. You can also contact us by using the form on our Contact Us page. Or by the phone number and address displayed on the same page.
How do I cancel my account?: Use the Contact Us section of the site and send us the email address you provided when the account was created.

Rating On RateMyProfessors

How do I use 'RateMyProfessors'?: Answer:
You can select your school by choosing your state or province from the drop-down menu on the main page. From there you'll see a list of universities; just click on your school to bring up the directory of professors. If you see your instructor listed, click their name and rate them. If your professor isn't listed, there is a link to add and rate them.
What are your rater guidelines? What is acceptable?: Answer:
Please click on the link to view our guidelines.
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/rater_guidelines.jsp.
How do the scores work? I don't think Easiness is a strong category - why is it part of the rating?: Answer:
All categories are based on a 5 point rating system, with 5 being the best. The Overall Quality rating is the average of a teacher's Helpfulness and Clarity ratings, and is what determines the type of "smiley face" that the teacher receives. An overall rating of 3.5 to 5 is considered good (yellow smiley face). An overall rating of 2.5 to 5 is considered average (green smiley face). An overall rating of 1 to 2.5 is considered poor (blue sad face). The Easiness rating is NOT included when calculating the Overall Quality rating.
Some of my comments got deleted. What comments are OK?: Answer:
Comments on RateMyProfessors.com are continually moderated by a real person on a daily basis, and any that are not consistent with our guidelines are removed.
What if I see a rating that I think should be reviewed again? I know you said you monitor all ratings, but what if you miss one?: Answer:
Every now and then an inappropriate rating manages to slip past us. As a safeguard, there are also multiple one-click ways for students or teachers to report errors or inappropriate listings, including "Report error with this teacher listing" and "Flag rating." Comments are automatically scanned for profanity, racist and disrespectful remarks about professors. They are also automatically scanned for duplication so that no student can add multiple comments about the same subject to one professor during the same session. If there are any comments that are outlandish or inappropriate- we work to quickly address them and correct the situation.
What if I see an error with a professor, i.e. - a misspelling or made-up instructor?: Answer:
After you click on a professor, you will see 'Report error with this teacher listing' at the top of the page. Just click on that link and tell us what's wrong.
I gave a teacher a Hot vote but no chili pepper showed up. Why not?: Answer:
The chili pepper is based on the sum of the "hot" and "not hot" ratings- "hot" is a plus one and "not hot" is negative one. A chili pepper only appears if the total is positive. If its zero or negative, no chili pepper is displayed.
With a category such as "Hotness Total", how much credibility does the site assume or seek to have?: Answer:
We dont dictate whats important or relevant when selecting a course or professor students do. We were told that clarity, helpfulness, easiness and attractiveness are the key attributes considered when choosing a professor. We are simply delivering a platform where you can make your voice heard.
How soon are my ratings posted?: Answer:
Immediately! There might be a slight delay during periods with high traffic.
Are the ratings statistically valid?: Answer:
These are ratings born from your peers opinions and judgments, and should be viewed as such. However, we often receive emails stating that the ratings are uncannily accurate, especially for schools with over 1000 ratings.
How are the top 10 highest rated professors determined? And how do I get my favorite professor recognized?: Answer:
Each year, we shine a light on professors around the country who are doing great work at every institution level by listing the top 10 highest rated. We want to recognize professors who are genuinely influencing students and making a positive impact in their education. Students rate the professors and we cultivate the lists from our extensive database of more than 7.5 million student-generated ratings of over 1,000,000 college professors. Tell your classmates to rate your college professors at RateMyProfessors.com, so next year your school could be in the spotlight.